The Strange and Wonderful Life of Mr Jude Holland
by Baird
Summary: The life and times of Jude Holland, bounty hunter, debris salvager, and host of the Liberated Cosmos radio show.


Common Area Sol Station: Kuda Energy  
  
This is the busiest area of the station, many people walk back and forth, roaming into the wide array of shops and services in this large hall area. A feel of the outdoors comes to mind in this area, there are two fountains and the area is always bright, with artificial lighting and sounds as well as the smell of a country park in spring time. An image of a Sea Horse floats in the sky, the holographic imaging also potraying a warmish day with a few clouds in the air, which also is reflected by the area's temperature.  
  
Rillitan is hanging around near the landing bay, he doesn't look too pleased with his current situation.  
  
Jude Holland is standing by one of the fountains, counting his fingers and looking quite impatient. He is chewing something, and makes the sound as if he was going to hack, but a cross lady gives him a bad look, and he turns away, swallowing whatever it was he was chewing. He looks, well, disgruntled, at best.  
  
Rillitan walks towards one of the two large fountains and bends down next to it, ignoring the rather upfront stranger that assaulted him with his words. Staring into the water he corrects his hair slightly.  
  
Sterm walks under the image of the Sea horse and stares upwards, (maybe this is his first time on the station?) A grin is noticable on his face as he looks down from the image. He looks towards Rillitan, and then towards Jude as he stands under the Sea horse.  
  
The graven-faced man stares hard at the kid, obviously in contempt for someone so happy. He takes out a sprig of twine, and begins to handle it through his fingers, impatiently looking around, waiting for something or someone. His metallic leg thumps against the floor of the station.  
  
Rillitan looks up at Jude curiously, making his mind up he walks towards him and nods a greeting as he makes his line of sight.  
  
Holland stares defiantly at the Timonae, scowling and refusing to budge. "Don't even try it, mind-reader. You do, I'll knock your brains out. I got enough troubes than someone digging in my head." Jude's fists bunch under his arms, and he looks tense.  
  
Rillitan raises an eyebrow, "Right..." he says, complacent with a frown. "You wouldn't be the one in the advert asking for a Merc would you?" he asks quickly.  
  
People stroll by, seemingly unaware of the conversation by the fountain. Jude stands up straight, glaring at the Timonae, and then says roughly, "I can always be using another hand, Timonae. You got one to offer?"  
  
Rillitan nods, "Yessir" he says happily, "If the pay is fair and the risk is... average" he says with a glint in his eye, "I been trying for a job for two days, I'm about to give up on my contact."  
  
Holland rubs the side of his face with his right hand, scratching his ear. "You got experience? Why does nobody want you, Timonae? Looking where you shouldn't be looking?" He holds a suspicious gaze, taking the twine and making a strangely patterned knot while he waits.  
  
Sterm notices Rillitan and Holland's conversation and walks towards the fountain for a drink of water.  
  
"Get yer face out of there, kid!" Holland bellows, switching his gaze to Sterm. "You can't order a drink like normal people? Dress in funny clothes, talk funny, act funny." He grunts.  
  
Sterm hears Holland's rather loud grunt and quickly lifts his head out of the fountain. "Hey buddy, I'm thirsty here!"  
  
"You don't scat out of here kid, I'll call somebody who'se got some authority around this flea-infested swarthole, and get them to drop you personally into the bowels of space." Holland mutters something under his breath, akin to, "damn pistol jockey, free floating piece of tin," but then he turns back to Sterm and points a thick finger. "That ain't drinking water, kid."  
  
Sterm grins towards Holland. "Who you gonna call mister, both my parents are long gone of this station, I'm on my own now!" Sterm walks away from the fountain "In fact, I ran away from home!"  
  
Rillitan frowns slightly, cut off before he could answer he meerly watches the events quietly.  
  
A -sschick- is heard, and Jude leans down, and when he rises, he is twirling a knife in his fingers. He points the knife over to the door of the diplomatic area, and says in a grating voice, "You watch yourself kid. You run away, you're gonna get caught in business you don't like. Business nobody likes. Better go back your mom, before things get... out of hand." He slips the knife back into his leg, and the slot shuts with a shimmer.  
  
A terrified look comes upon Sterm's face, "Please mister, don't cut me, I won't bother you no more, I promise!"  
  
"Don't cut you?" Jude guffaws, laughing out loud. "Don't cut him, he says." He looks over to the merc standing next to him, and repeats, "Don't cut him!" He laughs again, and with two bright eyes turns to stare at the boy. "Watch yourself kid. Don't go stepping on the wrong toes.  
  
Rillitan remains quiet and impassive, not wanting to render a verdict on the situation he glances at the knife -compartment- carefully.  
  
"Don't worry, nothing, Timonae," Jude replies to his stare. "You and I both know what doing that would do here, on this tar-heap."  
  
Jude Holland leans against the fountain again, looking bored. The voices in the station do little to amuse him, or even entertain his thoughts. That his eyes keep straining back to registration kiosk, would perhaps be a quaint observation, in that every few minutes he scowls and says something horrible about paper-pushing, tin-wearing citizenry, and mock jobs on obselate space stations. 


End file.
